1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools and guide devices therefor and more particularly to a novel fully adjustable routing template to be placed over a work piece and providing guiding edges for a router to cut ornamental grooves, steps, ledges and the like in the work piece, such as in a cabinet door and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of routers in custom cabinet work for the cutting of grooves, steps, recesses, ledges and the like in a decorative manner to provide a design on a work piece, such as a cabinet door and the like, has long been known in the art of woodworking. While such routers have great flexibility, it is often difficult to maintain the cutting bit of the router in a predetermined position as it is passed along the work being routed, and accordingly there has been developed in the prior art guide templates for use with the router for accurate guiding of the router over the work piece being routed. However, such prior art devices have involved rather complicated and fragile structure requiring special skills and knowledge as to the handling and care thereof.
Such prior art structures either require the use of a specific special template for each design being routed, or alternatively, are manufactured of a multiplicity of interconnected components requiring great care in the adjustment thereof to assure accurate alignment of the various components. A further disadvantage of such prior art adjustable type templates is that they do not lay flat on the work piece thus requiring special care in the use thereof as the central portions thereof tend to flex during use providing for uneven depth of the recess being routed.
Still a further disadvantage of such prior art routing templates is found in that guide members must be utilized therewith in order to provide for clearance of the router around adjusting brackets utilized to secure the various components together, as otherwise such brackets would interfere with the free movement of the router and cause distortions in the ornamental design being routed on the work piece.
Prior art devices thus suffer many problems and difficulties such that while they have somewhat improved the functionality of a router being utilized for the routing of an ornamental design on a cabinet door, they still fail to provide a completely adjustable and completely dependable routing template requiring no guide members if none are desired, one which is easy to use and dependable in operation, and one which is fully adjustable to fit square or rectangular panels or cabinet doors of various sizes in a quick and secure manner.